House of Kisaragi
by MysticSpiritus
Summary: While waiting for the birth of her third child, Yuffie must prepare for another addition to the family. Her father's new wife. He desires Tifa for a bride? That won't go over well. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to SquareEnix. **

_Mystic: This little number is credited to the amazing Pan over at the Viva La Reefie forums. Is it crack? Oh, yeah. Is it fun? You bet! To clarify, this DOES NOT tie-in to Ever Fallen In Love. Okay? DOES NOT. It could tie into Royal Proposal though. Oh, and a big thanks and shout-out to the ladies over at VLR. _

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"GRANDPA!"

Emperor Godo opened his arms just wide enough for two little boys to tackle him in dual bear hugs. "It is good to see you again, my boys!" he exclaimed, his smile wide.

At the ripe old age of fifty, the lord of Wutai was the proud grandfather of three, though the third was still in his daughter's womb. Yuffie entered the throne room moments later, sick from the airship rather than her latest pregnancy. Her stomach was round with the new life that she hoped would be a girl. Well, more like begged and pleaded. As much as Yuffie loved her husband and two sons, there was only so much testosterone she could take. It was dripping down the walls and oozing into her carpets. Sweet Leviathan, did she hate to clean it all up.

"Oh, sure, pops," she teased with an eyeroll. "It's good for you because you spoil them rotten before sending them back home."

"That's my job as a grandparent." Godo walked over and embraced her with a gentle hug. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm knocked up and just left an airship," she deadpanned. "How do you think I feel?"

"Mama threw up again!" her youngest chirped.

"No, she didn't!" argued his older brother. "Mama just dry heaved because her tummy was empty."

An outsider looking in on the royal family might conclude that pregnancy and the White Rose did not get along very well. Her face was pale and eyes tired, heightened by the long trip with a husband and two little boys in tow. Her weak stomach worsened with each baby, mostly through heartburn or nausea upon rising. A small bout of rosacea graced her cheeks; Reeve said it made her glow, to which Yuffie always replied, "shut your damn trap."

Unlike most expectant mothers, Yuffie refused the boring maternity clothes and instead opted for a larger size pair of shorts. The midriff-baring tops of her youth were replaced by Reeve's shirts because they were super-duper comfy and smelled like his cologne.

Godo laughed and ruffled the boys hair. "I do believe there is a treat for you two in the kitchen. Why don't you get your mother something, too, hm?"

They left with a noticeable bounce in their step and smiles attached to their faces. A weekend with grandpa was a weekend of fun in their young minds. He let them stay up well past their bedtime, allowed them sugary snacks that would surely earn him a glare from his daughter if she were to find out, and most importantly, let them see all the ancient weapons of Wutai. Chrys, at age three, had a fascination for the projectiles, while Geoff, age five, preferred the armour that was engraved with Leviathan's image.

The smell of green tea wafted through her nose as a servant handed her a warm cup. Her father sat down beside her and patted her hand. "All Geoff needs is a goatee and he'd be a spitting image of his father," he said with a smile.

Yuffie snorted. "He's already a techno-geek. He keeps drawing robots in preschool."

"Where is my son-in-law, by the way?"

"Getting the boy's things off the airship." She took a comforting sip of the tea. "Are you sure you wanna watch them all weekend? Chrys has pretty good aim."

"I enjoy my grandsons, Yuffie," he laughed. "Besides, I am quite sure you and Reeve would appreciate the 'alone time'."

Her grin turned wicked and she knowingly rubbed her stomach. "'Alone time' is what caused spawn number three."

"Unless your children were conceived in the open air underneath the magnolias, I'm hardly impressed."

"Geoff was spawned on top of Reeve's desk and Chrys happened because of a very fun moment against the wall at Seventh Heaven." A warning glare was directed toward her father. "Don't tell Tifa that."

Very few fathers could openly discuss sex with their daughters, no matter how old they became or how many children they bore. It was too damn awkward most of the time. Godo and Yuffie were the rare exception. "How fares the Widow Strife?" Godo asked, his voice suddenly soft.

"Eesh, formal much, dad?" She shrugged and took another sip. "Tifa's doing okay. Business has been slow in the bar though."

"And the boy?"

"Denzel?" Yuffie sighed. "He's gotten into a few fights at school. But he won!"

Cloud's death occured well over a year ago, but the way he died was a near insult to the way he lived. The man fought Sephiroth, fought the remanents, assisted WRO, but lost a vicious war against one wreck on Fenrir. Blood covered the roadway and gushed too quickly for any amount of potions or phoenix downs to take effect. The paramedics said his death was instantaneous, but that did nothing to comfort Tifa, who cried for weeks after the funeral.

It was then that Denzel's fights in school began.

"I wish to remarry, Yuffie." Godo's statement was blunt and left no room for arguments.

"Okay," she shrugged. "You've been a widower for too long anyways. I'm surprised you're not climbing up the walls."

"I wish to wed Tifa."

Green tea splattered on the floor, followed by an expensive mug. Shards of the glass slid across the hardwood, finally stopping at the emperor and princess' feet. Normally, Yuffie would laugh at a such a serious statement, to see if it was true or false. Her father's eyes, though; they were soft with an untapped emotion she hadn't seen since her mother was still alive. It was the desire to nurture and protect, to care and to love.

Yuffie ignored the loss of her drink and stood in defiance; something she hadn't done since her marriage to Reeve years earlier. "Daddy," she warned, "you can't be serious."

"I am."

Her eyes narrowed. Godo was entirely too calm about this. "You're too old for her!"

"_Your_ husband is nineteen years your senior," he pointed out. He then motioned to one of the servants, who began to clean the shattered mug. "That argument is pointless, daughter."

"She's a foreigner!"

"So is your husband."

"Tifa's my best friend!"

"Then you should support her."

Yuffie near exploded in anger. Only near because she was four months pregnant and too much anger wasn't good for the baby. So instead of yelling at her elderly father to stay far, far away from her hot single mom of a friend, she chose to count to ten and imagine her father exploding into tiny little pieces and the pieces being pissed on by wild dogs. Ah, the anger dissipated. Almost.

"Dad," she began, her voice low and unwavering, "Reeve and I have done everything we could to support Tifa and Denzel. We've helped with the bar, her bills, Denzel's education. She's struggling, Pops, and you want to pressure her into a sham marriage?!"

Godo stood now, his stature and strength forever embedded his in his eyes and disposition. "You would dare question me, daughter?"

"I've done it before, and I'm doing it again!"

"I'm offering the Widow Strife freedom," he explained. "Does not Leviathan teach us to care for those in need?"

"Care does not mean marriage."

He huffed, a sure sign of his growing frustration. "I have already contacted her and await her reply."

"Why, Tifa?" Yuffie asked, her arms crossed and her tongue ready to argue. "Of all the widows available here in Wutai, why _my_ friend?"

"Of all the available diplomats or warriors here, why did I give you to Commissioner Tuesti? And do not say that it was for politics, daughter. We both know that you tend to defy anything that I say or do, no matter what it is. I could admit that I fathered you out of wedlock and you'd still demand the throne despite that you'd be a bastard child."

"Bastard or not, I can run Wutai better than you, you pervert!"

His point proved true. "Wanting to wed does not make me ... one of those. I am not a criminal."

"Why my friend?" she asked again. "Is it just for the glory of being with one of the heroes of Gaia? Is it the prestige? Be honest, pops. I'm so not going to buy any bullshit about how you just want to help a poor, young widow when you probably just want a pretty thing on your arm!"

Reeve walked inside to an intense stare-off between father and daughter. He never liked being in the middle of arguments; he preferred to settle them with a quick bark of authority or silent raise of the no-nonsense eyebrow. That eyebrow worked wonders on his two sons and the occasional Turk who wanted to slack off.

"Reeve!" Yuffie spoke first, her voice shrill and loud. "Do you know what my father is planning?"

He saw the servant clean up a shattered tea cup and a sinking sensation settled in his gut. "Your father told you about Tifa, I take it?"

"You knew?!"

"He mentioned it briefly a few days ago."

"Gah!" She threw her hands in the air. "Why was I not told about this?"

Godo answered with a curt, "Because this is how you would react."

"Ya think?" She dropped her head in her hands and grunted. "Reeve, you can't agree with this. It's wrong on so many levels."

"It's their decision, Yuffie." His stance was easy and calm, always reflective of his worldwide rank, though usually irritating to his young wife. "Can't you at least try to understand?"

She didn't want to understand. "Tell me why."

Godo's face softened, not in defeat, but from a sharp tug of emotion that jumpstarted his heart. It fluttered quickly, running to an oft neglected area of his mind, and forced him to choose careful words. "I admire Tifa's strength as a woman." His son-in-law knew what he felt, but judging from the look of his daughter, she was far from accepting. "Do not attempt to sway her either way, Yuffie. Let her decide."

"Daddy!"

Bare feet thudded across the floor, skidding to a stop in front of tall, khaki-covered legs. Reeve looked down, smiling. "Yes?"

"Is it true that Auntie Tifa might marry grandpa?" Geoff bounced up and down on his heels.

"The boys know?!" Yuffie smacked Reeve on his bicep, typical of an angry wife. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Mama." Chrys crossed his arms and said, quite serious, "You can't hit daddy."

"Yeah," agreed Geoff. "If he hits you back, the police will show up. Like that family down the road --"

Reeve grabbed his son in a hug, silencing the outburst and any other confession of crime that he worked to eradicate from Edge. "You behave for your grandfather." He felt Geoff nod into his shirt. "No gizmos."

"Can I build a scale model of Wutai with my blocks?"

Reeve laughed. "As long as you pick them up. Chrys, no fighting."

"Yes, sir," the boy said, hiding a pout.

The pout was inherited from his mother, who happened to be doing the same thing. She despised being left in the dark over serious matters and wanted to be involved as much as she could, giving an opinion that mattered or otherwise. "What do you mean her strength? She can kick your ... behind from here to the moon. That's hardly the humble little wife you always wanted." Her tirade was halted by a small tug on her shorts. Chrys handed her a small packet of crackers. He remembered when Godo advised him to get something for her.

"It's not her physical prowess that impresses me." He turned away to face the armour adorning the walls. "I await her favourable reply." Godo repeated his words from before, but now they sounded quieter -- almost pleading.

It wasn't often that Yuffie admitted defeat -- even a temporary one -- but she resigned to one for now. She shot a glare to her father before leaning down to give gentle hugs. Her boys kissed her cheeks before skipping away outside. Reeve placed a hand on her shoulder, his silent signal to leave.

"You are _so_ getting nagged tonight, Reeve."

Yuffie left, not finished with the battle, and all prepared to talk sense into Tifa.

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Mystic: Crack pairing at it's finest, amirite? Anyway, concrit is fine, but be gentle,'kay? I'm not thrilled with the ending to this chapter, so don't bother pointing that out. We'll learn more in the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to SquareEnix. Woot.**

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"Here's my problem," Yuffie said. "I'm not sure whether to nag your damn ear off or fuck your damn brains out." She stared at her husband while he rested against the couch, his shirt unbuttoned and drinking a glass of strong bourbon. "Either way, you're gonna be missing body parts."

"I would prefer the latter," Reeve said with a smile. "Sex is very healthy during pregnancy and it'd be nice to make love without worrying we're going to wake the boys."

"I hate you right now."

"Hate sex is what spawned our children, my dear, so if you're upset with me that I kept your father's wedding plans a secret from you, then go ahead and punish me with rough love. You'll calm down and lower your anger level, which_ isn't_ healthy for the baby."

Yuffie glared, hating Reeve for his rebuttal and overall ability to shut her up with nothing more than simple words. He motioned for her to sit down beside him, which she did with a loud huff. "Don't you have some paperwork to file or something?"

"I finished it on the way back from Wutai." He sat his now empty drink on the end table. "Do you hear that, Yuffie?"

Confused, she answered, "No, I don't hear anything."

"That's the point," he smiled. "Our home is _quiet_ for a change."

She sighed. "Reeve ... "

His arm moved over her shoulders, drawing her into close embrace so he could smooth his opposite hand across her stomach. "Your father asked me not to tell you. Not right away."

"What, he wanted to tell me himself?"

"Pretty much."

Dropping her head against his chest, she asked, "Do we have any of that chai crap lying around?"

"You want me to make you a cup of tea?" He looked at her, knowing that if he didn't offer, she'd start playing the 'helpless and pregnant' pity card. All it took was a lip pout and a quick reminder that she housed half of his DNA in her womb. That same card resulted in Reeve losing precious sleep whenever Yuffie craved unhealthy fast food in the middle of the night.

"Pretty please? With a spoonful of honey to make it really yummy?"

He smiled. "Naturally."

"Oh! And --"

"And a peanut butter sandwich with marshmellow creme on whole grain bread." He stood and kissed her cheek before walking to the kitchen. "I sometimes think you underestimate me, Yuffie. This isn't the first time you've been pregnant."

"Then can we talk to Tifa?"

"Yuffie ... "

"I'll be good; I _promise_."

He held back a laugh as he opened the pantry door. "Famous last words, love."

**xxx**

"Denzel, can you take out the trash, please?"

He stared up from his homework across the bar, eyes tired and easily frustrated. "Why don't you have one of Godo's lackey's do it?"

A dishtowel landed on the countertop, it's job of drying glasses temporarily halted. "It's little quips like that, Denzel, that prevent you from going to the movies this weekend," Tifa said, her tone no-nonsense and her face serious. "The ice you're on is thin enough thanks to yesterday's fight at school."

"The other guy started it," Denzel shrugged. "I just finished it."

"Go take out the trash."

His algebra book closed. "Fine."

Tifa sighed, going back to the dishes. "Dilly dally, shilly shally, Denzel."

"What?"

"Dilly dally, shilly shally."

"What are you --"

"Would Cloud want me to dilly dally, shilly shally like he did years ago?" Her tone, softer now, sounded nothing like the lonely widow she was supposed to be, at least, not in her son's stubborn opinion. Determination fueled her; the drive to survive and provide for her family. A teenage boy didn't make it easy, but she persisted and allowed her mind to reign control.

The trash bag dropped to the ground. "But Godo? Your idea of moving on means Emperor Godo?"

"Would you rather I marry one of the other suitors? Reno perhaps?"

Denzel cringed at the thought. Not long after Cloud's fatal accident, regulars at Seventh Heaven tried to stake their claim toward the beautiful barmaid; the majority perverse and after one simple thing. "Why do you have to remarry at all? Ruvie never did."

"I'm not Ruvie," she answered. "And the emperor is being sincere; he only has our best interest in mind."

"What about the bar?"

"You know how business has slowed, Denzel."

"I'll have to switch schools."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Considering all your fights recently, that might be a good thing."

His face dropped, but he lacked an argument and picked up the trash instead. He walked outside to the dumpster, a scowl on his lips, and a heavy droll in his step. Denzel refused to admit that his long-time guardian might be correct that Godo was a kind man; since the events of Meteorfall, the ruler worked his council to the bone to bring Wutai back to its formal glory. He regularly met with Reeve and the World Restoration Organization, along with the remaining active members of AVALANCHE, to incorporate proper trade routes and military alliances.

Tifa accompanied the WRO on many of those occasions after becoming a widow, meeting with Godo, and assisting with his new education system. She watched the WuSheng train young students, joining them for class, and evening leading one with his approval. Something passed between them on their few encounters together and the memory of it was enough for Denzel to reflect on why he was so opposed.

He couldn't reflect for long, however, because no sooner did he slump against the wall, did a female voice interrupt his internal struggle.

"Hi, Denny!" Yuffie popped her head in the back alley, Reeve not far behind her. "What are you doing back here all by yourself?"

He shrugged. "I'm thinking."

"Oh, gawd," Yuffie groaned, her face grimacing in a scowl of disgust. "She's not going to marry him, is she?"

"Yuffie ... " Reeve's tone dropped several octaves, his usual warning not far behind. "You promised --"

"Tiiiiiiiifffaaaaa!"

If she hadn't been a good fifteen pounds heavier with child, Yuffie would have bolted inside with her trademark ninja-speed. Instead though, she barely turned on her heel to walk, or rather, waddle in the door. Denzel and Reeve remained out by the dumpsters; one full of teenage angst and the other wondering if he should take another dose of his blood pressure medicine.

"I don't want to move, Reeve," started Denzel, his eyes down toward the muddy puddles. "Most of my good memories are here in Edge."

"I'm aware," the man answered. His elbow rested against the bricks, taking a casual stance in a more serious moment.

"Your mom didn't even _want_ to marry again. Why does Tifa?"

Reeve paused, then said, "I can't speak for my mother, Denzel, nor can I speak for Tifa." He kicked aside an empty can. "It's just our job to be there for her, whatever she decides."

**xxx**

"Well?" Yuffie asked. "Are you marrying my dad or not?"

"I am."

Yuffie blinked, watching Tifa toss the dishrag into the washing machine. Then, she blinked again, her mind processing those two scary words that combined more death and destruction than "press red button". Oh, if only she had a scary red button to press. "You what?!"

"I'm going to marry him."

"I'll kill you with a poisoned condom!"

Wait, that wouldn't be as cool as the red button. It was also much more disgusting, because that implied that her father and best friend would --

"EWWWWWWW..."

Tifa rubbed her temple. "You made the threat, Yuffie."

"You'll be my stepmom, and you're going to sleep with my dad, and oh Sweet Leviathan, that'ssogrossandnastydadcan'thavesex ew ew ew..."

"He's not a bad-looking man."

"Nasty!"

Tifa's attempt to be the voice of reason went out the window and crashed to the pavement. Then it got hit by a truck. The White Rose continued to feel the creepy-crawlies that were her father's apparent sex life and walked around in circles, the threat of pregnancy-induced hypertension rising by the minute, and those damned creepy-crawlies taunting her with explicit images of Tifa _with_ the emperor.

"Think of the baby, Yuffie."

Luckily, Reeve's voice of reason tended to be more forceful and overall effective. He and Denzel walked in seconds earlier, watched the scene briefly, then reached out to stop Yuffie's rant. She near fell against her husband's chest and cried, "I have a mental picture!"

Denzel shuddered. "Oh, gross; now I have one."

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "Will you two grow up? We're all adults here."

"I'm not," said Denzel, his face still a bit pale. "I'm a minor until I'm eighteen."

"Sixteen in Wutai," Reeve informed him.

The mental images disappeared. "Really?" His face brightened with a wide smile. "I can legally drink and everything?"

"Denzel," sighed Tifa.

"No, wait," he interrupted. "Like, I'll be an adult there or no longer a minor or what?"

"You won't be a minor," Reeve answered, dodging a weak smack to his arm by his wife.

"Don't encourage him!"

Reeve decided to do the opposite. "Wutai does have some very beautiful women."

"Gawd, shut up!"

"I managed to wrangle one, myself." He rubbed her stomach, teasing her, knowing that her glare held the dangerous ability to set plants on fire -- well, it would if materia was considered safe during pregnancy. Most doctors said otherwise, so Reeve remained unharmed. For now.

Yuffie sniffled. "But ... but ... I don't want a new stepmom!"

A snort came from Denzel. "So, will I be allowed to drink or ... ?"

He was ignored. "Yuffie, I'll be your father's wife," Tifa said, "but you're a mother yourself and," she paused with a raised eyebrow, confused as to why Yuffie stopped her false tears. "Uh, what's so funny?"

The princess chortled, flashing a manic grin that screamed triumph in a well-worn battle of wits and wills. "That's right, which means you'll technically be a grandmother if you marry my old man!"

Score one for the boys back home.

Tifa stared at her. "Your point?"

"Granny Tifa for the epic win!"

Reeve facepalmed. "I thought you wanted to 'talk sense' into her?"

"Oh, yeah; I kinda forgot."

So much for their romantic weekend.

**

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Mystic: Pregnant Yuffie is so much fun. Poisoned condom thread is credited to the amazing Marilena.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to SquareEnix. **

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Tifa attempted to read her novel as she sat on the airship deck. A pair of reading glasses sat atop her nose since years of working in a low-lit bar, mixing drinks and wiping tables, left her eyes weaker than most women her age. Her hair was pulled back into a low pony-tail so to keep it away from the strong winds, but every so often, a stray strand would fall into her line of vision. Again, she tried to focus on the words, but they kept swirling away from the pages, lost in concentration that wasn't entirely there. Knowing that she was alone save for the occasional crew member, she put the book down and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Denzel lay asleep in one of the rooms below, tired from his lack of rest earlier in the weekend. Both agreed to travel to Wutai when Reeve and Yuffie left to pick up their boys. Tifa intended to make this trip a milestone in her life, accepting a marriage proposal from the emperor. Seventh Heaven remained closed for now, locked up and lights off. If she re-opened or not depended on Godo's reaction, and how quickly they wished to proceed with the nuptials.

Not willing to pick up her book again, she leaned back and stared up at the clouds. That thought put a smile on her face, not at all feeling guilt over the eventual re-marriage. Tifa enjoyed her married life with Cloud; the struggles and occasional hardships brought them into a close relationship that felt rich and rewarding. It wasn't easy, and maybe that's why she took his death fairly hard. Everything they worked for in their lives came crashing down in an barrage of metal shards and stained tar.

She loved Cloud; she still loved Cloud, but she also loved being married. There was something to be said about waking up with someone in the morning and going to bed with that same person at nightfall. Someone was there for you, and you were there for them. Where they were weak, your strength compensated, and vice-versa. Lives were shared, but never smothered by one another.

She missed the nuances of marriage most of all. A kiss here, a hug there. The surprise flower on the bed pillow, even if Cloud accidentally picked the one that Tifa happened to be allergic to. They shared meals and laughs, and took pride in Denzel's achievements. Arguments ended with Tifa tossing a used dishrag at his head, then laughing when it stuck to his hair. Make-up sex commenced shortly afterwards, the poor dishrag flying in the air.

Her smile grew a little more. Though many bachelors in the community considered Tifa an attractive widow, she didn't become man-hungry or troll around for dates. The Widow Strife kept to herself after Cloud's death, preferring to spend evenings alone in her bar than out on the town. The security was preferable that way. Yuffie pestered her to go out more, but she never took the advice; Godo's offer seemed much more honorable.

Another thought crossed her mind, and it didn't frighten her in the least, even if Yuffie still got the chills from the idea. Sex was an important part of any marriage, and Tifa did intend to consummate this one. She meant what she said earlier; Godo was not a bad-looking man. Years of martial arts left him appearing young for his age, and that part kept her smile from disappearing. It'd be a pleasant release to have sex again.

"You seem calm," a low voice spoke.

Tifa looked up to see Reeve standing nearby. His arms were crossed, but his eyes and smile were relaxed and calm. "Hi, Reeve." She sat up and grabbed her book so he could sit down. "How's Yuffie feeling?"

"I finally managed to get her to sleep." He sat down and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Pregnancy escalates her already weak stomach."

"Hoping for a girl this go around?" Tifa asked.

Reeve nodded. "I wouldn't mind it." Then he laughed. "I'll upgrade Cait to castrate once she's old enough to date."

"Cait the Castrator," she nodded. "Why do I have the feeling you already drew up the plans?"

"Because I did."

Tifa chuckled. "What if you have another boy?"

"Cait will upgrade to 'Troublesome Girl Lookout'."

"You have the plans?"

"And they're completely interchangeable with the castration ones."

She grinned. "You haven't changed, Reeve."

"Yuffie says the same thing." He sighed, one of nostalgia, and turned away to stare at the passing sky. "Are you still serious about the emperor?"

Tifa didn't hesitate an answer. "I am. It's not exactly the most romantic, but --"

"On the contrary," Reeve interrupted. "The situation is very awe-inspiring; you have the regal emperor falling head over heels for the beautiful foreigner. Add in there the fact that you're both widowed, and you can almost hear the squeals of delight."

"Or squirms of disgust because Godo is _so_much more older than I." Tifa purposefully stressed the word 'so', making her sound like a certain expectant ninja.

The commissioner shrugged. "I never minded a May-December relationship."

"Of course you wouldn't, Reeve."

"Just let me know where you plan to register."

He quickly dodged a book aimed for his head.

xxx

Godo realized something as he watched his grandsons play and grow older: If having grandchildren was such fun, why didn't Leviathan bless him with them first? Seeing their happy smiles and playful demeanor made him feel accomplished and much younger in years. Even better, he was still in decent enough shape to keep up with them. Late nights and early mornings didn't phase him in the least, partially because he didn't want to miss their youth, and partially because his council could be just as immature. Arguing over the last scoop of ice cream was a hellfire more funny than arguing over new amendments that redefined his entire constitution.

With ice cream, everybody wins.

He looked at Geoff's latest drawing, a black dog with lobsided ears and skinny tail. "I'm not sure I recognize this breed."

"That's 'cus it's a robot, grandpa! And he'll have your accent." Geoff grinned, wiggling his loose tooth.

"A robot dog, hm?" He studied it more closely. "I'm not sure it would get along with your father's feline robot."

"That's the point!" Geoff exclaimed. "It follows the natural order!"

"What about a mouse robot?"

Geoff stared at his grandfather like man had suddenly grown another head which only spoke computer jargon. "I can't use small electronics yet. Daddy says I'll electro ... eceltro -- I might shock myself."

Chrys snickered, but stopped when he noticed the emperor's eyes on him. "Chrys," he warned, voice deep, "did I hear that your slingshot found some trouble today?"

The three-year-old shifted his glance to the side of the room. "It wasn't my fault."

"Care to explain?"

"Well," -- his brain soon formed the correct reasoning-- "Staniv's butt got in the way."

Laughter resonated off the walls, a hearty laugh from the usual stoic emperor. "I think that deserves a trip to the ice cream store."

"Really?!" Both boys jumped to attention, Geoff dropping his many crayons.

"Hold it, hold it," warned Godo, holding his hands up to calm the children. "What do we tell your mother if she asks where we went?"

"Um ... " Geoff suddenly snapped his fingers. "We went to the Sushi Bar and Wutaiin Grille House!"

Godo nodded. "That's right, and what did you have?"

Chrys raised his hand. "I had the beef terkiyaki."

"Teriyaki," corrected his grandfather.

Geoff answered next. "I had the eel sushi roll, but I threw it up an hour later."

"Very good! You both are exceptionally smart." He grabbed their hands and led them to the door. "In a few more years, I'll find a place for you on my council."

"Don't I have to graduate first?" asked Geoff.

Godo paused, looking down into the boy's dark eyes. "Is your mother in you, at all?" Every time he stated something, it verberated his genius father.

"No, that's silly. But I used to be inside her tummy; you see, in human pregnancy ... "

Godo rubbed his temples, his question confirmed. Yuffie certainly carried the boy, but Reeve's genetic material took the dominant role.

xxx

"Five gil says my father gave the boys ice cream." Yuffie was awake now, her stomach passive, and sipped on a bottle of lemon-lime soda. "And I'm also willing to bet Staniv got pelted in the ass."

Reeve looked up from his card game against Denzel. "I thought I told Chrys to leave the slingshot at home."

"He did, but he knows how to make them from a couple of sticks."

"Who taught him that?"

Yuffie smiled. "Me; duh."

Tifa chuckled, once again lost in the thick novel. "Life lessons from Mommy Yuffie."

"Says Granny Tifa."

Another chuckle, this time from Denzel. "Gin, Reeve."

"You're too young to drink," came his quick reply.

Denzel scowled, and showed the commissioner his hand. "No, I meant the cards."

"Oh!" Reeve looked down at his own hand. "I'll be damned."

"So, when can I drink in Wutai?"

Tifa answered, far too quickly, "Whenever I give you permission."

"Can I date?"

"D'aw!" Yuffie squealed. "Denny's growing up! I should hook you up with one of my old students. She's really cute, and right around your age too. Oh!" Yuffie jumped up and waved her hands like a child waiting for candy. "You guys can spar in the ring and I'll bet on the winner!"

Tifa glanced over the top of her book, not to keen on her friend's idea of matchmaking. Though it was a time-honored tradition in Wutai, the fistfighter herself was fairly positive it didn't involve gloves and mouthguards. Interesting how a contract could still be involved. "Whatever happened to pizza and a movie?"

"Says the granny who likes to read romance novels."

Said 'granny' rolled her eyes. "It has a strong plot."

_"Suuuuuurrrrrre," _Yuffie teased, waggling her eyebrows.

Reeve shuffled the cards for another game. "You read them, Yuffie."

"Hey, the main character reminds me of you."

"How so?"

"He has a big co --"

"YUFFIE!" Tifa aimed a glare harsh enough to make even Sephiroth cower behind a rock. Denzel averted his gaze away from his mom's; that one glare meant bad things.

She raised her hands in defense. "What? I was going to say coat."

No one believed her, Reeve especially, but that didn't stop a small smile from creeping on his face.

xxx

**Mystic: 'Tis short, and I apologize. Couldn't resist the dialogue fun either. XD**


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